Many women want to do everything they can for their unborn baby during pregnancy, right?

So what comes to mind is "prenatal education."

Here we will explain what prenatal education is, when to start, how to do it, and its effects.

What is "prenatal education"?

If you look up prenatal education in a dictionary, you will find that it means "a pregnant woman striving to maintain mental stability in order to have a positive influence on the fetus."

Of course, it is not only the pregnant woman who is involved, but also the father or other family members, but as the kanji character "教" in "prenatal education" suggests, some people also associate it with early education or gifted education, and it seems that there are multiple ways of understanding it.

It was once believed that fetuses had underdeveloped brains and were emotionless beings.

However, according to Yoshiharu Morimoto of the Osaka Prenatal Education Center, who has provided prenatal education to over 10,000 people, it has become clear that fetuses have the ability to perceive and understand events in the outside world while still inside the womb.

In other words, prenatal education allows for parent-child communication that deepens the bond between mother and baby in the womb.

When is the best time to start? What are the effects?

Prenatal education can generally be started at any time, but it is recommended to start around the middle of pregnancy (5th to 7th month) when morning sickness has subsided and the baby has entered a stable period.

It is said that a fetus's hearing begins to develop around the seventh month of pregnancy (24 weeks).

During this period, the baby can hear not only the sound of the amniotic fluid in the womb, but also the voices of the mother and other family members, as well as natural sounds and noises from the outside world.

Although the effects of prenatal education have not been scientifically proven, stimulating a baby's brain before birth is said to have a positive effect on development.

In addition, mothers who have practiced prenatal education have shared their experiences while raising their children, saying things like, "I feel like my child has a richer sense of perception," and "I feel like my child is quicker at understanding language."

5 specific prenatal education methods

So, what are some specific methods of prenatal education?
Here are five ways to do it.

1. Give your fetus a name

A fetal name is a nickname given to a baby in the womb, and is also called a baby name.

Fetal names include "Baby-chan," which is a shortened version of "Baby," "Poko-chan," which refers to the shape of the protruding belly, and "Mame-chan" and "Chibi-chan," which refer to the small appearance of the fetus in an ultrasound image.

The fetal name is a name that is only used during pregnancy, so feel free to call your baby whatever name you like.

② Listen to music

Music is an essential part of prenatal education.

In order to transmit music to the fetus, it is important to be in a quiet space, wear loose clothing, assume a comfortable position, and relax the mother's brain.

The music used for prenatal education can be any favorite, such as classical music or music box music, but I especially recommend the music of Mozart.

The high frequencies contained in Mozart's music are said to be beneficial for prenatal education, as they regulate the autonomic nervous system and activate the brain.

③ Talk to them

After relaxing your brain and body with music, try talking to your baby in the womb.

Start by calling your baby by their fetal name or using simple phrases like "It's Mommy" and "Hello."

As the pregnancy progresses, the fetus's brain develops and fetal movement begins.
As the fetus grows, gradually increase the amount of words you speak to it, such as "You just woke up," "That was a surprise," "Let's go for a walk together," and "It's warm and comfortable today."

It's also a good idea for dad to talk to your baby, not just mom.

④Read a picture book

Reading picture books to your baby during prenatal education not only allows you to speak to the fetus, but also calms the mother's mind.

The key to choosing a picture book is whether the content is something that the mother, who will be reading it, will like, and whether it has a message that she wants to convey to her baby.

If possible, try reading a sample and choose one that interests you in terms of story and illustrations.

There are many picture books that are said to be good for prenatal education, but among them, picture books such as "We've all been waiting for you" (Holp Publishing), "Guess how much I love you" (Hyoronsha), and "Thank you for being born" (Doshinsha) are particularly recommended as they have cute illustrations.

⑤Kick game

Once your baby starts moving and kicking, try the kicking game. First, sit comfortably on the sofa or bed.

When the fetus kicks, gently tap the area where it kicked so that the fetus can feel it, while repeatedly saying things like, "Kick here!"

The fetus's reaction varies; sometimes it kicks back immediately, and sometimes it takes a while to kick back.
Let's take our time and try it.

Once the fetus starts kicking back at the place where you hit your stomach, try hitting a different place than where the fetus is kicking.
By repeatedly trying to kick when Mommy pokes you, the fetus will learn the movement.

Once you can do this, you can try consecutive kicks or add variety to your game.

summary

Prenatal education can begin at any time and there are various methods, but the most important thing is for the mother to relax during pregnancy.

If you are suffering from severe morning sickness or are not feeling well, do not push yourself, but try incorporating prenatal education when you are feeling stable.